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Hi, are there many Brits in Raleigh/Cary/Chapel Hill and are they treated well? I've heard that NYers have a little bit of a tough time, but is the same true for British people? Thanks.
No one has a rough time unless they want to.
Like any other move, just take it all in, roll with it, and don't expect the world to revolve around you, and you will do just fine.
Just don't lay around and moan about how your Sunday dinner and bangers and mash aren't as good as you got at home.
Glaxo has paved the way for you with that daily American flight to/from Heathrowe.
My parents are English (technically I am too, but I've lived in the U.S. most of my life).
I think the previous poster is correct that everyone is welcomed, but I'll tell you that my parents LOVED the South in general. They did say that people would tell them quite a bit how much they loved the UK, loved the English, etc..
As for my parents, who have lived both up North and in the South, they preferred the South. They said for some reason the people remind them more of being in England.
I know a few Brits here and they seem to be quite happy here. From my experiences with my British friends while visiting the UK, British culture is closer to US Southern culture than that of NY'ers. The South is generally known for hospitality and politeness, much like the welcoming treatment I received in the UK from locals and friends there. But then again, being polite and friendly to people anywhere in the world will get you farther than coming to a new place and complaining that it's not the same as home. I think that is really what turns some of the locals off about some transplants, because I myself have even heard the complaints of others from different parts of the country. We just can't expect it to be the same as everywhere else, that is what makes each place special in its own way.
I think you'll find the Triangle to be a very pleasant place to live - I know I have, and I'm coming from Florida (being a "Floridian" is considered a major fault here!). No one has given me any problems, and I have been generally welcomed, and have in turn embraced and appreciate the differences between this area and the one I came from.
Hi, are there many Brits in Raleigh/Cary/Chapel Hill and are they treated well? I've heard that NYers have a little bit of a tough time, but is the same true for British people? Thanks.
I have two good friends who have moved here (one from cornwall and one from just outside of london) and they haven't had any complaints..........well, the love the rain (say it feels lke home) and they miss the chocolate! When they have their relatives visit, one suitcase is made up just of food!
Anyhow, I don't think people really care around here as long as everyone is nice (or pretends to be nice!!!). Not a biggie for them
As a Brit I can confirm that we are very welcome in all of the US and not just Raleigh. As Mike said above there is the daily AA flight from RDU to London Gatwick that makes trips home so easy o get all the Cadbury chocolates !! but more important it makes it easy for friends and relatives to visit.
with many international companies operating in RTP, notably Glaxo, IBM, Nortel, etc there are many nationalities on assignment at any time, and with a good proportion being British.
NC lifestyle and weather suits well and in my view is far better than the usual 'Brit migration' to Spain or France where there are language and cultural issues that are not encountered in NC, particularly regarding home ownership
Supposedly, there's even an "English-style" teahouse somewhere close to downtown Raleigh...but I don't know exactly where or its name. But, that should give you an idea that the Brits are yet another nationality here in the Triangle with a presence, just like many many others.
I am English and I have lived in the Triangle for about five years. I have not faced any overt xenophobia. Not all my human interactions go perfectly but the ratio of good to bad is about the same as it was in England. Impossible to tell if my foreignness plays a part in the approximate 0.1% of bad encounters.
Conversely I find Anglophiles at every corner. I often hear:
'I love your accent'. I will happily take a compliment any day of the week!
'Where are you from? followed by 'Do you like it here?' and 'How is it different?'. Often I can ask the same questions right back because the Triangle has so many transplants.
'I visited Britain in...' or 'I've always wanted to visit Britain...' or 'my grandmother was from Britain' etc These chats can be amusing. I get a giggle out of some of the stereotypes and mis-perceptions that persist. The whole Mary Poppins, bowler hats and roast beef dinners. Personally I've never lived in 'that' England but it certainly sounds quaint and ever so retro.
My uncle is from London and has lived in the South for 30 years. His family is still in London and they all fly back and forth quite often. He loves it here and we all love Britons. I even have a secret dream of living in Thirsk, lol
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